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13 July 2005

Makes a nice change from the drunken teenage prank calls, I suppose

Black ties, please, by royal requestBy HELEN HILL

At 2am last Friday two Blenheim businessmen were jolted from their sleep by phone calls from the police. But they weren't the routine "your premises have been burgled" type of calls.The police were on the hunt for ties. Neck ties. Black ties, to be precise. Ten, if you please. By royal command.

They were needed urgently by Prince William and his entourage, overnighting in Kaikoura, to wear in respect for the victims of the bombings in London the day before.

Kim Andrews, manager of JE Thomas's, was one of those awakened by the call. He went to the store where as many as 10 black ties are not in stock these days, and in the dim light handed over as many dark coloured ties as he could find.

"We do stock them but they're not big sellers," said Mr Andrews. "Most black ties these days would have a small pattern on them."

Also roused from his bed on Friday morning was David Buckley, owner of Cloudy Bay Funeral Services. By the time he had found two black ties the police were already knocking on his door.

Senior Sergeant Ciaran Sloan of the Blenheim police, who was second in charge of the protection squad in Kaikoura, said it was not until midnight that the prince's party became aware of what was going on in London, hence the timing of the call.